To be fair though, while truck-like the Trailblazer offers a commendable ride and decent handling, plus it delivers reasonably good off-road capabilities.
Saab isn't saying if its 9-7X will be able to traverse the wild unknown, but being that competitors from VW and Porsche can, it makes sense.
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| Can the Trailblazer's less than premium truck-like architecture live up to the car-like luxury SUV competition? (Photo: General Motors) |
But 4x4 capabilities or not, Saab is up against Volvo's extremely competent XC90, BMW's benchmark X5, Infiniti's best in class handling FX, and even Cadillac's SRX, itself offering superb driving dynamics. There are SUVs from Acura, Mercedes-Benz, Lexus, Lincoln and other premium brands, while it may even face competition from GM's own entry-luxury Buick Rainier and GMC Envoy. Can a less than premium Chevy/GM derived body-on-frame truck live up to this stiff competition?
Saab obviously believes it can, and that its 9-7X will be dramatically different enough to cause buyers reason to move up from other GM brands or over from rivals. We'll have to wait until April to say for sure.
Like many of its European contemporaries, Saab's new SUV will be built in the U.S. at GM's Moraine Assembly plant in Ohio with production beginning in the first quarter of 2005.
But unlike the majority of its rivals the 9-7X will only be sold in North American markets. Despite the recent popularity of sport utility vehicles in Europe, the brand's European division has no intention of offering the 9-7X to its customers, reportedly due to a concern over brand image. The European press has had a field day questioning Saab's "short term" decision in "rushing" the new Subaru and GM "clones" to the North American market.